Wednesday, October 28, 2009

This week I was responsible for making loot bags for a 10 year old’s fashion-themed birthday party. I have never done such girly cookies before so it was a lot of fun to decorate the dresses, handbags and high heels.

If you’re a Torontonian looking for custom cookie creations for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch for more information!

If this stunning chain-embellished fedora by Erik Javits, wasn't so darn pricey I would snap it up as a solution for my bad hair days (aka everyday). I love the hit of glamorous gold and the polished silhouette of the brim.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

You’ve probably spotted the signature black and white checks at your nearest Neiman’s, and some of you may have been lucky enough to make it to a freestanding store, but for those of you new to MacKenzie-Child’s, it’s worth a visit to their website to explore the hundreds of handmade goods boasting feminine and whimsical designs.

Clearly not for everyone’s tastes, M-C’s fans are often diehards who make pilgrimages to their headquarters in Aurora, NY to watch the artisans in action (hi 2D!), but one of the most popular and enduring patterns most people can agree on no matter their tastes is the classic black and white courtly check. Being a black, white and gold person, I am all over it!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

I swear sometimes I have the culinary tastes of a 60 year old woman. Most of my peers would cringe at the very notion of duck hash, yet as soon as I saw Daniel Boulud’s recipe in the new ELLE Decor, I conspired with my mother to try it out within the week.

Ever the sport and putting her professional culinary training to good use, my mother cooked up 2 individual servings in her adorable All-Clad’s. They not only looked divine, but they tasted delicious as well. A scheduling error on my part meant we didn’t sit down to eat it until well after 11p.m. but that just added to the bizarre element of our odd meal and made it all the more amusing.

I probably wouldn’t rush to make this meal again, but for a fancy shmancy brunch it definitely would fit the bill! Thanks mom!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

When I worked in the burbs I had more chances to scope out big-box decor chains, but now that I’m employed in the heart of the city, I don’t make it out to those locales too often. While making a requisite stop at Michael’s for an assignment I decided to pop my head in to Pier 1 next door, and was totally drawn to this feminine area rug at the back of the store:

Resembling a contemporary design I’d likely find at a high-end boutique downtown, I have totally developed a crush on this red rose tufted wool rug. The 6 x 9 design only costs $749 CAD and although it’s not cheap - it is a good price for a floor covering with such vibrancy and dimension.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Fall is here, which means my favourite tree in my neighbourhood has almost completely changed its leaves from the usual green to a vibrant reddish-orange hue.

As the green fades, so does the chance to wear open-toe shoes and the general presence of sunshine (yuck!), but it does bring on hat season (yay!), the chance to don leather jackets and boots and opportunities to walk Leya around the neighbourhood so she can crunch the fallen leaves.

One nearby tree has even sprouted apples, although they look fairly diseased as opposed to bright and juicy Chudleigh’s

These blustery days also mean Halloween is fast approaching. I’m currently taking orders for my homemade decorated sugar cookies so if you’re in Toronto and would like some delicious fall-themed treats, please e-mail me for more details!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

For Friday night dinners, one of my mother’s most popular recipes is a simple casserole that complements her roast chicken and potatoes perfectly: a velvety dish composed of layers of crunchy broccoli, creamy mushrooms and cheddar, and crisp fried onions. I made this dish very frequently while away at university, and it garnered me quite the following of my own, so by popular demand, here is her recipe:

Linda’s Broccoli Casserole

2 large heads of broccoli

1 clove of garlic, minced

I package washed sliced white button mushrooms

¾ can of cream of mushroom soup

1 tbsp butter

1 cup shredded cheese

1 can of French’s crispy onions

Preheat oven to 350

Cut broccoli into small spears and steam, making sure it does not overcook

To preserve green colour and crunchiness, run the steamed broccoli under the cold faucet or submerge in an ice bath, stopping the cooking process (blanch it baby!)

Place the drained and dry broccoli in a oven-proof casserole dish that has been sprayed with PAM or buttered and set aside

Sauté garlic in a medium saucepan with the butter until golden. Add sliced mushrooms and cover for about 5 minutes (or until the mushrooms release their juices)

Add the condensed soup, mixing until smooth and heated through

Pour mushroom mixture over the broccoli, sprinkle on cheese and onion topping in even layers

Friday, October 9, 2009

While at the Holts cafe last month waiting in line for my delicious chicken, arugula and gorgonzola flatbread, a striking display of packaged candies caught my eye. Nestled in a narrow display shelf was a group of black and white striped bon-bon's with a lustrous satin finish.

Closer inspection gleaned they were old fashioned treats produced by Hammond's and that the flavour was black and white licorice. Now I am a sucker for anything retro, but black and white stripes are one of the defining elements of my design tastes, so I pretty much died when I saw I could buy candies that complemented my future apartment so well.

I even have just the bowl for them- this stunner I just picked up at Chair Table Lamp. I love the slightly uneven shape and the luxe gilding of the rim.

The gold and black and white stripes combined with the shiny gold will be the perfect match for a certain special piece of furniture I have in the works....stay tuned for more details!

If you have a little one, it's even harder to resist snapping up the actual Jonathan Adler Barbie in all of her glory! The Barbie comes with her very own channing side table and bel air lamp, plus a host of other adorable pint-sized accessories.

If you want to go all out, you can also purchase a separate accessories pack including a mini verison of the lampert sofa, Barbie throw pillows and the nixon throw!